Method of manufacturing sign elements



William R. Hill, 1941 S. Jefferson, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Filed Dec. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 244,086 6 Claims. (Cl. 29- 460) Thisinvention relates to the manufacture of sign elements, or characters,and has been developed in conjunction with the production of letters andnumerals used with wire suspension racks. This type of sign has comeinto wide use in the windows of large stores because the sign does notobstruct much of the entering light or the view out the window. Thesigns are readily alterable by replacement of the elements on the rack,since they merely hang in place from accurately-placed suspension hooks.These hooks are normally fixed to the sign elements, and engage the rackmembers.

The popularity of this type of sign, together with the number of letterand numeral elements'used with each rack, result in the necessity ofmass-producing these items. Appearance is vitally important, as a flawin the visible surfaces would destroy the effect desired. Applicant hasdevised a-method of manufacturing these sign elements with a uniformhigh quality at a very low cost. Two of the steps of applicants methodare illustrated in the views of the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the placement of a sign elementfor the painting of the reverse side.

FIGURE 2 is a view showing the support of the sign elements forfinishing the display face of the elements.

Applicant has shown it most practical to begin the manufacture of thesign elements by cutting them from fiat panels of pressed fibrousmaterial of a type commonly known as Masonite. The cutting operation maybe performed either on a band saw, a sabre-saw, or router. When theelements are cut to shape and sanded, they are then placed in aconventional locating jig which will accurately place suspension hookswith respect to the upper and lower edges of the sign elements so thatthey will hang inproper alignment along the suspension racks. It ispreferable that the suspension hooks be adhesively secured to the backsof the sign elements to avoid marring the front display surface with theheads of fastenings. The cut sign elements, with the hooks properlyattached, may be considered as the rough intermediate form of theelements.

The application of exterior coatings requires a verycarefully-established procedure. in order to maintain the necessaryquality, and yet perform the operations with an efficient use of theworkers time. The elements are first placed face-down (with thesuspension hooks upward) along a generally horizontal supporting surfacedefined by the plane of a wire mesh. The preferred mesh configuration isa hexagonal arrangement commonly referred to as fchicken wire, andnormally used as fencing. This wire mesh may either be stretched tautacross an open framework, or may be laid directly upon a supportingpanel or conveyor surface. The purpose of the wire mesh is to preventcapillary action from drawing the sprayed material around underneath thesign elements as they are supported during the application of thecoatings. The preferred hexagonal mesh shown in the drawing should benoted closely in its relationship with the points at which the wirepasses under the edges of the sign element present almost no situationsin which a substantial length of wire closely parallels the edge of thesign element. This arrangement will minimize the tendency to draw anaccumulation of sprayed material undersupported sign element. 'The9,249,994 Patented May 10, 1966 neath to the face opposite from thatprimarily receiving the coating. In the arrangement shown in thedrawing, the table structure indicated generally at 10 may be equippedwith legs 11 of any selected length, depending upon the needs of themanufacturing establishment. A top framework 12 supports a panel 13, onwhich the wire mesh 14 is secured, preferably with staples as shown at15. The structure of the table may be of any convenient material,ordinary wood being shown in the drawing, The panel 13 can be of plywoodor of any other convenient substance.

The sign element 16 shown in FIGURE 1 is placed with the back uppermost,exposing the suspension hook 17. In FIGURE 2, the sign elements 16, 18,and 19 are shown face-up, with the hooks 17 underneath.

The first step in the coating operation corresponds to that illustratedin FIGURE 1. The normal coloring of the panels of preferred materialfrom which the sign elements have been cut is a pastel brown, and it isdesirable to paint the entire surface of the back approximately thiscolor so that the suspension hook 17 and surrounding exuded adhesive maybe colored to match the rest of the surface. The elements may either bepermitted to dry in place, or they may be picked up at the suspensionhooks and engagedwith some form of support for the drying operation. Itshould be noted that the drying of the adhesive securing the hooks 17,and possibly also the drying of the coating material on the back of thesign elements, may be facilitated by the application of conventionalinfra-red or other heating equipment.

When the backs of the sign elements have been properly dried, they arethen placed on the supporting device in the position shown in FIGURE 2.One or two coats of a filler of a. particular type are then applied. Thepreferred filler includes a gum shellac, a titanium white pigment,silica gel, and denatured ethyl alcohol. It has been found that thistype of filler seems to perform exceptionally well, and to exhibit veryfavorable drying characteristics. When the filling operation has beencompleted, a light even coat of fluorescent color is allowed to at leastdamp dry, and the second coat of this material is then added, andpermitted to dry completely.

When the drying of the elements has completed sufficiently to permitsome degree of contact, they are preferably placed on edge to preventpressure causing them to either stick together or to the surroundingsupporting structure. In this position, they may be stored on shelves,or in cartons or crates for shipment.

The particular embodiments of the present mvention which have beenillustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only andare not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appendedclaims. In these claims, it is my intent to claim the entire inventiondisclosed herein, except as I am limited by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A method of manufacturing sign characters, compriscutting saidcharacters from sheet material;

adhesively securing suspension clips on the back of said characters inpredetermined relationship with the upper and lower edges of saidcharacters;

supporting said characters on a substantially horizontal surface definedby chicken wire;

painting the back of said characters;

applying a white primer to the front of said characters,

the said primer being of a type containing gum shellac, titaniumpigment, silica gel, and ethyl alcohol solvent;

applying a coating of fluorescent color material to the front of saidcharacters, the said painting and the applying of primer and colormaterial being performed while the said characters are supported on saidsurface; and placing said characters on edge in storage position. 2. Amethod of manufacturing sign characters, comprising:

cutting said characters from sheet material; adhesively securingsuspension clips on the back of said characters in predeterminedrelationship with the upper and lower edges of said characters;supporting said characters on a substantially horizontal surface definedby chicken wire; painting the back of said characters; applying a whiteprimer to the front of said characters,

the said primer being of a type containing gum shellac, titaniumpigment, silica gel, and ethyl alcohol solvent; and applying a coatingof fluorescent color material to the front of said characters, the saidpainting and the applying of primer and color material being performedwhile the said characters are supported on said surface. 3. A method ofmanufacturing sign characters, comprismg:

cutting said characters from sheet material; adhesively securingsuspension clips on the back of said characters in predeterminedrelationship with the upper and lower edges of said characters;supporting said characters on a substantially horizontal surface definedby wire netting having polygonal interstices; applying a white primer tothe front of said characters,

the said primer being of a type containing gum shellac, titaniumpigment, silica gel, and ethyl alcohol solvent; and applying a coatingof fluorescent color material to the front of said characters, the saidapplying of primer and color material being performed while the saidcharacters are supported on said surface. 4. A method of manufacturingsign characters, comprising:

cutting said characters from sheet material;

4 adhesively securing suspension clips on the back of said characters inpredetermined relationship with the upper and lower edges of saidcharacters; supporting said characters on a substantially horizontalsurface defined by wire netting having polygonal interstices; applying awhite primer to the front of said characters;

- and applying a coating of fluorescent color material to the front ofsaid characters, the said applying of primer and color material beingperformed While the said characters are supported on said surface. 5. Amethod of manufacturing sign characters, comprising:

cutting said characters from sheet material; adhesively securingsuspension clips on the back of said characters in predeterminedrelationship with the upper and lower edges of said characters;supporting said characters on a substantially horizontal surface definedby wire netting; applying a white primer to the front of saidcharacters; and applying a coating of fluorescent color material to thefront of said characters, the said applying of primer and color materialbeing performed while the said characters are supported on said surface.6. A method of manufacturing sign characters, comprising:

cutting said characters from sheet material; securing suspension clipson the back of said character; supporting said characters on asubstantially horizontal surface defined by wire netting; and applying acoating of fluorescent color material to the front of said characters,the said applying of color material being performed While the saidcharacters are supported on said surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,243,164 10/1917Hardesty 29-460 X'R 1,767,745 6/1930 Day 4()125 2,325,830 8/ 1943Burdic'k 40125 2,736,089 2/ 1956 Cooper 29'460 45 CHARLIE T. MOON,Primary Examiner.

1. A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SIGN CHARACTERS, COMPRISING: CUTTING SAIDCHARACTERS FROM SHEET MATERIAL; ADHESIVELY SECURING SUSPENSION CLIPS ONTHE BACK OF SAID CHARACTERS IN PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UPPERAND LOWER EDGES OF SAID CHARACTES; SUPPORTING SAID CHARACTERS ON ASUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL SURFACE DEFINED BY CHICKEN WIRE; PAINTING THEBACK OF SAID CHARACTERS; APPLYING A WHITE PRIMER TO THE FRONT OF SAIDCHARACTERS, THE SAID PRIMER BEING OF A TYPE CONTAINING GUM SHELLAC,TITANIUM PIGMENT, SILICA GE, AND ETHYY ALCOHOL SOLVENT; APPLYING ACOATING OF FLURORESCENT COLOR MATERIAL TO THE FRONT OF SAID CHARACTERS,THE SAID PAINTING AND THE APPLYING OF PRIMER AND COLOR MATERIAL BEINGPERFORMED WHILE THE SAID CHARACTERS ARE SUPPORTED ON SAID SURFACE; ANDPLACING SAID CHARACTERS ON EDGE IN STORAGE POSITION.